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Warner Robins staff preview 2,000-foot spacing and new license criteria for alcohol retailers
Summary
City staff presented proposed amendments to the alcohol licensing ordinance that would add public-safety review criteria and a proposed 2,000-foot minimum spacing between retail package alcohol outlets; changes to land-use code and statutory limits still must follow state law and the Zoning Procedures Act.
City staff presented proposed amendments to Warner Robins’ alcohol licensing rules, including new review criteria aimed at public-safety considerations and a draft spacing requirement for retail package alcohol sellers.
At a workshop-style presentation, staff described a proposed minimum separation of 2,000 feet measured property line to property line between retail package alcohol establishments. The staff presentation emphasized that the change would be a licensing criterion focused on public safety—covering site suitability, traffic conditions, the structure’s design, law-enforcement access and any incidents within 100 yards in the prior 12 months.
Staff cautioned the council that state law already codifies certain distance requirements related to schools, churches and similar locations; those state-mandated distances would not be altered by the proposed licensing criteria. The city attorney noted the proposed criteria are being framed as an exercise of police powers in the interest of public safety and therefore must stay within legally permissible limits.
Staff also described related land-use changes that would fall under the Zoning Procedures Act, such as minimum lot sizes or standalone-building requirements for package stores, which would require planning commission review and public hearings before any change to the development code could be adopted.
Council members asked whether the draft would cover vape shops and whether fee adjustments were being considered. Staff said definitions and draft land-use regulations for vape shops are being developed and that a broader fee-structure review is underway and will be brought forward later.
Staff said their current plan was to bring the ordinance to the council agenda for consideration on Sept. 15, with supporting land-use code changes scheduled for planning commission review in the coming months.
Provenance: Topic introduced at SEG 1023 and discussed through SEG 1248. Direct quote (staff): “The first of these would be to establish a minimum distance requirement of 2,000 feet, between such establishments.”
